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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27594479">You're The Best Thing That's Ever Been Mine</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/washtheseghostsclean/pseuds/washtheseghostsclean'>washtheseghostsclean</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Power Couple AU [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Formula 1 RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Christian is still the dad we all deserve, Domestic Fluff, Family Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Found Family, M/M, Maggie is back, hilarious as ever</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 00:00:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,238</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27594479</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/washtheseghostsclean/pseuds/washtheseghostsclean</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Max watches Lando and Maggie bicker at each other. Technically with these two, they have a head start in parenting. Lando and Maggie together are a recipe for disaster most of the time.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Daniel Ricciardo/Max Verstappen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Power Couple AU [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1933156</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>77</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>You're The Best Thing That's Ever Been Mine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Look, I don't control this AU. It controls me. Max was really sad and over dramatic yesterday and I was very sad and over dramatic all weekend so I give you this.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Can you believe that Charles is the first one to have a child?” Daniel’s voice is full of wonder and Max will never stop being happy to hear it. </p><p>“I mean, he didn’t use a condom, babe.” Max rolls his eyes as he hangs his coat. “Do we need to congratulate him for being stupid?” He asks raising an eyebrow. </p><p>“Maxy.” Daniel’s voice has a warning tone. “Don’t be an ass.” </p><p>“You’re right.” He nods. “That was uncalled for. The kid is very cute, though.” Charlotte had given birth to a baby boy a few weeks ago. And while they all would like to say it was a surprise, well, it wasn’t. She and Charles have been together for years so this was only the natural turn of events. Max had seen Daniel interact with children before, they had Wilf visiting as often as possible and his husband was a gem when it came to their nephews. However seeing Daniel holding the baby today, his little finger wrapped around Daniel’s thump. Max's heart might have done a double-take at that picture. </p><p>“What do you want for dinner?”Daniel’s voice carries to him from the kitchen. It’s not that Max has thought about this a lot. They’ve been married for two years now and while they have discussed a lot of things the subject of kids never came up. They have talked about possibly moving to Australia in a few years. They have talked about Daniel retiring in a season or two. But never actually about starting a family. Max had never the desire to broach the subject either. Not until he saw Daniel holding that tiny baby and thought of a little curly-headed boy of their own, giggling in Daniel’s arms instead.</p><p>“Do you ever think of us having children?” Max asks suddenly as Daniel returns with two beers. </p><p>“What now?” His husband is looking at him, an eyebrow raised. </p><p>“Do you ever think of us starting a family?” Max insists. </p><p>“We are a family, Maxy.” Daniel rolls his eyes. </p><p>“Daniel!” He can see something in Daniel’s eyes but cannot put a name to it. “I’m serious. I’ve never asked you before. Have you ever thought of us having children?” </p><p>“Well,” Daniel hesitates for a moment, weighing the situation. “You have never talked about it so I kinda thought that we’d get a cat at best.” He shrugs awkwardly and Max wants to slap him upside the head before he pulls him for a deep kiss. Max doesn’t think he could love the idiot more than he does right now. </p><p>“What if I don’t want a cat?”</p><p>“We can get a dog then?”</p><p>“What if I don’t want a dog?”</p><p>“That’s where I draw the line, Maxy.” Daniel huffs. “I’m not getting you a snake.” Max had become obsessed with Animal Planet documentaries and all the different snakes located in Australia. It’s a running gag between them that Max wants one and Daniel flat out refuses. Of course, he does not want a snake but it’s fun seeing Daniel panic for just a brief moment. </p><p>“I really want to talk about us having a baby.” Max laughs and pulls Daniel in for a kiss. </p><p>“Okay.” Daniel sighs happily as they pull back, resting his forehead against Max’s.</p><hr/><p>“Say that we do have a child.” They are working together on the living room floor. Papers scattered all around them. The Red Bull Racing logo mixing with McLaren in a way Max has come to love very much. Just like he loves Daniel. The new season is right around the corner and that means they both have to double down on their workload before testing their new cars. The good thing about working for UK based teams is that they do not need to be apart much. The Red Bull HQ is in Milton Keynes and the McLaren in Woking. Max and Daniel have settled for renting a place in Watford for the few weeks they need to be there. It’s halfway from both of the factories so it was a fair choice. While they work much during that time Max still loves coming home to Daniel even if he’s exhausted and all he wants is to go to sleep. “What will happen to our jobs?” </p><p>“What about it?” Daniel is pouring over some blueprints, his eyes not leaving the paper before him. </p><p>“A baby is a huge responsibility,” Max continues flicking through Christian’s emails. “We travel a lot. The two months that we stay in Monaco every year does not work. Taking the baby with us would not either, the days leading up to and the race weekends are hardly appropriate to have a child with.” </p><p>“I’ll retire,” Daniel says nonchalantly. </p><p>“What?” He hasn’t realized that Max’s eyes are now focused on him. Daniel says the words so easily, like retiring mean nothing.</p><p>“I’ll retire.” Daniel shrugs finally locking gazes with his idiot of a husband. “Babe, I’m nearing forty. I’ve had my pole positions, I’ve had my winner trophies, hell, I’ve even gotten the championships I wanted. I’m done.” Max laughs softly and crawls his way to Daniel. </p><p>“So,” he asks as he pushes Daniel on his back, their work long forgotten. “You mean to tell me that you will retire and stay home to raise our child?” He has settled on Daniel’s lap by now, leaning over him. </p><p>“Yes.” Daniel’s reply is husky as his hands rest on Max’s hips. So many years later and Max can work him up over fucking nothing. </p><p>“That’s hot.” Max laughs and then his lips are on Daniel’s.</p><hr/><p>That’s the start of everything. </p><p>There are still so many things to look up and make a decision. For some godforsaken reason, Max thought this would be easy and it would be done within a few weeks. But it’s fucking not. Do they adopt? Do they use a surrogate? Which one of them the kid will be related to biologically? Do both of them give it a go and see which one works out in the end? The logical thing would be to adopt a baby and they had thought about it a lot. Had even discussed it with adoption agencies. But every time Max would close his eyes he could only see a little curly-haired boy or a little girl with Daniel’s big smile. </p><p>“Do you think we should adopt?” Max asks Daniel as they are on their way to the first race of the year. </p><p>“Honestly?” Daniel hesitates for a moment. “I don’t. I want a little boy or a little girl that looks like you.” They tend to be discreet during race weekends and while there has been the occasional kiss on a podium they never give too much PDA to the press. Daniel’s fingers lace with his own and he brings Max’s hand to his lips. </p><p>“Fuck,” Max laughs softly. “We are having a baby.”</p><hr/><p>There’s so much fucking paperwork Max wants to burst into tears every time he looks at it. They could hire someone to do it for them but it feels wrong. They are not going to be carrying this child to term, fuck they won’t be there physically for most of the time. Max wants to be able to tell their child that they still worked to make it a part of their family, though. So they will do the paperwork. They will cry while doing so but they are both prepared for it. </p><p>“I just need you to sign this, please.” He pushes the final agreement in front of Daniel. The surrogacy agency had given them a large list of possible surrogate mothers but they have both been drawn to one that had done this two times before. The fact that she already has children of her own also helped to put their mind at ease that they won’t have any separation issues. Max had never thought that he would need to look up such things or talk to a phycologist about it. He did it with Daniel by his side though. </p><p>They choose a lovely lady in her early thirties living in Monaco. Max and Daniel had had a few meetings with her discussing the what’s and how’s. They wanted to get a feel of the woman that will bring their child to life, set some boundaries. Ines is a short brunette with a wicked sense of humor that gets along amazing with Daniel and his stupid jokes. They opted for an egg donor and to use both of their sperm, let the odds decide the genes of this babe. After that, the agency took over to create the contract and they had their lawyers look it over. They got the green light and now all they need is their signatures. </p><p>“It’s done already?” Daniel asks as he looks over the contract. More out of habit than anything else. Being paranoid and checking every single bit is Max’s thing after all. </p><p>“Yes,” Max nods. “We sign this and we’re halfway there.” It’s a bit scary and Daniel might be able to see it on Max’s face. Which is why he pulls Max to his lap, nuzzling his neck. </p><p>“You know we don’t have to do this, right?” He asks and Max can hear the disappointment creeping in Daniel’s voice. </p><p>“Being scared has nothing to do with this,” Max assures him. “I do want us to have an actual family. I want to see us fail in changing diapers, and being exhausted with something other than endless work.” He wants them to have family holidays, and school plays to attend and their child doing great in whatever they choose. He just knows that Daniel will be the best dad ever, there to cheer them through everything. Max knows that their child will have everything Max did not growing up. </p><p>“Okay.” Daniel gives him one of his genuine smiles.</p><hr/><p>The only person they do tell ahead of time is Zak. Daniel will announce his retirement at the end of the season and they want to give his team principal time to look for a good replacement. Daniel does have a few ideas on that. Tt surprises-both when Zak asks Daniel to stay as a consultant. He will not be on-site as much as he can work from home. Max can see the happiness in Daniel’s eyes, though. He’s happy too, that his husband will not have to sacrifice everything. </p><p>“How are you feeling?” Max asks Ines as they meet at the clinic. It’s way too early for any reasonable person to be up and by too early Max means 8 am. He has realized that the more he grows up the less those early hours work for him. The fact that he has a smoking hot Australian sleeping beside him does not help the situation either. </p><p>“Fertile!” Ines jokes and Daniel spits his coffee. The first stage of this was to get the embryos ready. Which the doctors had done at the end of March. Max and Daniel opted to wait for the further procedure until they were back in Monaco. They both wanted to be there with Ines which brought them to today. Sitting in the waiting room of a way too white clinic waiting for their doctor to call them in. </p><p>“Happy to hear that!” Max laughs too just as the door to the doctor’s office opens. “Ready?” He asks looking at his husband. He’s searching Daniel’s eyes but he doesn’t know for what. </p><p>“As I'll ever be.” Daniel takes his hands and pulls him along.</p><hr/><p>Ines is a joy. </p><p>She replies to all of Max’s text messages and gives him updates daily. The first six weeks are the hardest until they can be sure that Ines is pregnant. Then there’s another six until she’s out of the first trimester and into the second one. Daniel and Max have been pretty focused on their work for quite a few years now. So the fact that this could change so easily throws them both off. Yes, there are still races and there’s still briefings but a podium is not the best thing that can happen anymore. Nor is a championship. They have mutually agreed to not get excited just yet. Max has seen Daniel order a Gucci diaper bag, though. Why the fuck Gucci makes diaper bags Max does not want to know. He chooses to let it slip instead. He has been saving up cute onesies himself on his basket of the same site anyway. </p><p>He’s been anxiously checking his phone all day. They are currently in Italy and were supposed to have some time off in between races but their teams changed their plans. Ines is supposed to learn the gender of the baby today and they are both at the edge of their seats. They both wanted to be there for it but they have one race week after the other and it has been nearly impossible to do anything but eat, sleep, drive and repeat. </p><p>“Still nothing?” Daniel takes a seat on the chair beside him. They are on a lunch break in between press duty. </p><p>“Nope.” Max shakes his head unlocking and locking the screen of his phone again. It’s not like something could have come through in the five seconds since he last checked. </p><p>“There’s also the time difference, sweetheart.” Daniel rests his hand on Max’s thigh under the table. </p><p>“As if you don’t want to know.” Max elbows him softly. In that small, quiet moment his phone does ring, and they both jump, reaching for it at the same time. “<em> I </em> don’t wanna know.” He murmurs as they look at Ines’ name flashing on the screen, multiple messages coming in. </p><p>“Want me to check for both of us?” Daniel offers and Max shakes his head, finally unlocking the phone. There’s a picture with an ‘It’s a boy!’ followed by an ‘It’s a girl!’ and Max is confused, to say the least. “Is it a boy or a girl?” Daniel asks puzzled but Max is already calling Ines. </p><p>“What is it?” He asks before he even says ‘hello’. </p><p>“Hi, Max!” Ines’ cheery voice is loud enough for Daniel to hear. “I’m good, how are you?” She jokes but honestly Max is too on edge to appreciate it at the moment. </p><p>“Ines!” His tone is warning and she sobers up for a minute. “Is it a boy or a girl?” </p><p>“First of all,” She answers and Max can hear the smile in her voice. Sometimes he forgets she’s done this before and she’s just as happy as them about this. “They are both healthy.” It takes him a moment too fucking long to register her words. </p><p>“Both?” Daniel is the first to react, taking the phone from Max’s hands. </p><p>“We’re having twins!” She yells from down the line and Max can feel the anxiety attack coming at him like Perez did in the Istanbul GP in 2020. </p><p>“Twins!” He whispers. “Twins!” </p><p>“Ines, let me call you back in five.” Daniel laughs and ends the call, all his attention focusing on Max now. “Maxy,” He says cupping Max’s cheeks. “You’re panicking.” </p><p>“Join me, won’t you?!” Fuck he’s forgotten how to breathe. Oh god, now he’s seeing stars. </p><p>“Maxy!” Daniel’s voice brings him back to reality. “Fucking breath. I don’t know how I’m gonna explain the reason you fainted to Christian otherwise.” </p><p>“Twins.” He repeated and Daniel nods smiling. </p><p>“Hey, at least we’ll only have to do this once.” He offers. </p><p>He’s not wrong.</p><hr/><p>They call back Ines that evening after they have had some time to process the information. She’s alarmed at first but relaxes when they both assure her that nothing has changed. They were just overwhelmed with the news. It’s quite common with IVF to have at least two babies out of a try. The doctor has assured that all is going well and Ines has given them the green light to go nuts with shopping. She’s even offered to make them a list of things they will need and Max accepted it quite happily. </p><p>Which brings them to have to tell people. Max is pretty sure he can hear Grace’s screams from Perth. She’s all sorts of excited and crying and Max and Daniel cannot blame her. They are just as happy. Max’s mother has already booked a flight to be there for the first few weeks. And had Daniel not stopped her so would have Grace. They need to take this slow and most of all they need to do this themselves. Currently, though Max watches Lando and Maggie bicker at each other. Technically with these two, they have a head start in parenting. Lando and Maggie together are a recipe for disaster most of the time. They wanted to do dinner and had suggested some places close to the hotel they’re all staying in. But Max and Daniel opted out of it. The news they are about to deliver is pretty fucking huge and Maggie will scream. Plus Lando cries so yes, better contain them both in a hotel room. </p><p>“I brought food!” Daniel calls and slams the door behind him. </p><p>“I don’t know why we could have not gone to the restaurant.” Maggie rolls her eyes. “You’re not as famous as you’d like to believe.” His husband laughs as he drops the bags of food on the coffee table of the hotel suite. </p><p>“If I wanted to stay in,” Max narrows his eyes at her. “I have a pretty good fucking reason.” </p><p>“Children.” Lando cuts in already going through the bags. “No fish, right?” He asks Daniel and his husband shakes his head. </p><p>“We wouldn’t want you to die.” Oh, Max likes it when Daniel gets sassy. They delve into the food, talking about anything and everything. The conversation flows from vacation plans to Toto retiring and Lewis taking over as team principal, to Christian having another one of his meltdowns because Daniel and Max are too close in points and he refuses to lose another championship to Zak. </p><p>“So,” Maggie is the first to finally broach the subject in regards to why they have gathered tonight. “While I always love hanging out with all of you I sense there’s something more going on.”</p><p>“Oh thank god!” Lando sigs relieved. “I thought I was the only one feeling the impending doom.” </p><p>“Impending doom?” Max asks, eyebrow raised. </p><p>“You’re not getting a divorce are you?” </p><p>“Why would they get a divorce?!”</p><p>“Oh god! I am not prepared for this!” </p><p>“Daniel, do I need to stop hanging out with Max if you get a divorce?” </p><p>Max runs a hand over his face. Why did they ever think this would be a good idea. </p><p>“No one is getting a divorce!” Daniel’s voice bounces off the walls. See? Daniel is 'parent material' right there. “We are both fine and actually want to share some happy news with you.” He laces his fingMax’s and pulls him closer. “You wanna tell them, babe?” He offers and Max nods, smiling. </p><p>“We’re having a baby.” He finally announces and gives both of their friends a moment. One heartbeat, two, three, and then all hell breaks fucking loose. Maggie is screaming and Lando is crying and somehow both Daniel and Max have been tackled to the ground. </p><p>“We’re having a baby?!” Maggie has joined Lando in crying and god, they both looking fucking ugly when they do. Max has done them a service by not doing the announcement in public. They would have killed him if the paps ever got a bad photo of either of them. </p><p>“We’re having <em>two</em> babies.” Max shrugs and that only starts a new round of madness.</p><hr/><p>Max has gone through a lot of things that left emotional scars. His relationship with his father, his start in F1, Daniel singing in the shower. However, nothing and he means nothing could have prepared him for the video Ines has to send to Daniel. In his husband’s defense though Max was not supposed to see it as he had made his feelings very clear on the subject. He knows how babies are made, he knows how they come to life but he does not need to see it. Not until it’s five minutes away from happening. </p><p>The universe has other more hilarious plans, though. </p><p>The thing about birthing videos that no one tells you about is that they are so horrifying that once you start watching you can’t stop. God, did Max try to close his eyes for those ten minutes! Then it was done and Max’s life had been changed forever. </p><p>“I only wanted to be prepared,” Daniel says horrified from beside him. But they are going to be in the birthing room when Ines goes into labor so all he wanted was to be was prepared. Well, he prepared them both, alright! </p><p>“I think we agreed that you will run your brilliant ideas by me before you do anything,” Max replies, sarcasm dripping in his voice. </p><p>“I’m sorry, babe.” Daniel tries to hug him and Max flinches away, still too traumatized. </p><p>“Let’s not touch for a few minutes, ok?” Max lets out a shaky breath as he gets up. </p><p>“Where are you going?” </p><p>“I need that vodka Kimi gave you or bleach,” Max calls over his shoulder. “Whichever erases the past twenty minutes from my brain faster.” </p><p>Daniel’s loud laugh can be heard all through the house.</p><hr/><p>They have read all the books twice. </p><p>They have watched all the documentaries. </p><p>They have gone through the list of things Ines send them five times each to be sure. </p><p>They spoke to their mothers, to Natalie, they even spoke to Charlotte that has gone through this recently. However, nothing and Max means nothing, could have prepared them for the avalanche that is meeting their kids. Max thought that he would never be able to love someone more than he loves Daniel. But fuck he loves those tiny babies wrapped against each other sleeping so fucking much. Maybe it’s because they are so small and look helpless. Maybe it’s because they were created because of Daniel but Max fucking loves them.</p><p>The babies are born a few weeks early and the whole thing is a blur to both of them. Between the panic of them coming early, the actual birth and the doctor assuring them both the babies and Ines are alright Max is exhausted. But all is well and two days later they are allowed to take them back home. It’s kind of a bittersweet moment, parting from Ines that is. Max and Daniel have grown attached to her. But at the end of the day, this was a business arrangement and now they have to take separate ways. </p><p>
  
</p><p>“What do you think of Grace Sophie Verstappen-Ricciardo?” Max asks, he has their daughter comfortably in his arms, sucking on her bottle. </p><p>“It’s a mouthful.” Daniel laughs softly, their son is sleeping on his chest. Daniel’s hand is rubbing his small back and the baby sighs contently. “Do you want to make Christian cry?” </p><p>“My entire relationship with Christian is me doing something and him ending up in tears.” Max reminisces, having shifted the baby to his shoulder so she can burb. This feels so foreign to him yet so natural. Like this has always been where they would both end. “But I always like finding new ways to torture him.” Christian enjoys the trouble Max creates on some level. It gives him something fun to deal with other than work, or so Geri insists. </p><p>“What do you think of Christian Joe Verstappen-Ricciardo for this little one,” Daniel suggests, dropping a kiss on the baby’s head. Max can feel his heart expand a little bit more with the gesture. God, he fucking loves Daniel so damn much. </p><p>“It’s a mouthful.” He throws Daniel’s words back to him. “But I do like it.” It’s only fair that their son will be named after someone that has been practically a father to him since he was seventeen. Plus, it will get him back to Christian’s good graces for not letting him know they decided to expand their family. In Max’s defense though, not many people knew anyway and it wasn’t because they didn’t want to share it. They had both been scared shitless that something might happen. It didn’t but there was still a chance. </p><p>“It’s settled then.” Daniel hums as Max moves to lay beside him, their baby girl now asleep laying on his chest. There’s a comfortable silence around them. They have placed the changing table by the foot of the bed and there’s a bassinet by each of their sides even though the babies sleep between them most nights. There are toys scattered all around the room and baby clothes draped over everything and they both smell of milk and baby vomit. Yes, they have never been happier in their entire lives. “I love you.” Daniel is the first to break the silence. “I hope you know I love you more than anyone else and I’m thankful for all you’ve given me so far.” Max feels his eye burn slightly with tears of joy. </p><p>“I love you too.” He sighs and cranes his neck to try and steal a kiss. All he can reach however is Daniel’s shoulder, so he drops one there. It will have to do for now.  </p>
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